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Community event celebrates pedestrian safety improvements at Inman Middle School and addresses critical need for improved safety in school zones

Atlanta, GA, May 11, 2017 — Parents and students joined representatives from Atlanta Public Schools, FedEx and Safe Kids Worldwide today for the official unveiling of new pedestrian safety measures. The measures included an overhead flashing beacon, curb extensions (also called “bulb-outs”) that allow additional room for pedestrians, and ADA ramps at a busy intersection near Inman Middle School.

The project is part of SKW’s Safe School Zone program that identifies and makes long-term environmental modifications to improve child pedestrian safety and decrease child pedestrian-related injuries and deaths. The area around Inman Middle School was identified by a community working group as needing improvements, due to the high number of pedestrian incidents.

"We are so appreciative to be working with FedEx and Safe Kids Worldwide to ensure student safety on their way to and from school," said Interim Principal Emily Boatright. "This is a remarkable neighborhood for Atlanta with so many walkable routes and having the "flashing beacon," which enables students to safely walk to school, is a major benefit for which we are very grateful."

The unveiling of the new pedestrian safety improvements is one of many road safety events Safe Kids Worldwide and FedEx are hosting around the world as part of the United Nation’s 4th Global Road Safety Week (May 8–14). Global Road Safety Week’s #slowdown campaign seeks to increase understanding of the dangers of speed as a factor for road traffic deaths and injuries, and encourages drivers to slow down.

Every day, 44 children in the U.S. are hit by cars and school zones are becoming more dangerous than ever. In October 2016, Safe Kids Worldwide released a report, “Alarming Dangers in School Zones,”.

made possible by the support of FedEx. According to an observational study of 39,000 walkers and 56,000 drivers in school zones, 80 percent of students were observed crossing the street in an unsafe manner. And nearly one in three drivers displayed unsafe behaviors that endangered student pedestrians, such as speeding, texting, double parking or blocking a crosswalk.

“Safety in school zones is more important than ever and we have learned that speeding is a critical factor to keeping kids safe,” said Torine Creppy, president at Safe Kids Worldwide. “This year’s Global Road Safety Week has a special focus on speeding. Let’s commit to slow down to at least 20 miles per hour in school zones, enforce the rules and put an end to distraction while driving and crossing the street.”

“We all play a role in keeping kids safe in school zones,” said Rose Flenorl, manager, FedEx Global Citizenship. “At FedEx, we are committed to working with Safe Kids Worldwide and community leaders to lower the number of preventable injuries related to kids walking to school, in the U.S. and around the world.”

About Atlanta Public Schools

Atlanta Public Schools is one of the largest school districts in the state of Georgia, serving approximately 52,000 students across 88 schools. The district is organized into nine K-12 clusters with 68 traditional schools, 16 charter schools, two citywide single-gender academies and two alternative programs. For more information, visit atlantapublicschools.us.

About Safe Kids Worldwide

Safe Kids Worldwide is a nonprofit organization working to protect kids on the road, at home and at play. Preventable injuries are the number one cause of death for children in the United States. Safe Kids works with an extensive network of more than 400 coalitions in the U.S. and with partners in more than 30 countries to reduce traffic injuries, drownings, falls, burns, poisonings and more. Join our effort at safekids.org. Learn more at #slowdown.

About FedEx

FedEx Corp. (NYSE: FDX) provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services. With annual revenues of $58 billion, the company offers integrated business applications through operating companies competing collectively and managed collaboratively, under the respected FedEx brand. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 400,000 team members to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards and the needs of their customers and communities. To learn more about how FedEx connects people and possibilities around the world, please visit about.fedex.com

For more information contact:Gary Karton202-604-5353gkarton@safekids.org

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To protect kids from being trapped in cars, always lock all cars and trunks when not in use.
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